1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image display apparatus for displaying menu images used for control of the apparatus itself, a menu display method therefor, an image display system, and a storage medium storing a program for executing the menu display method.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, it is a generally known method to use a pull-down menu or a popup menu when a user gives instructions concerning changes of a channel, a sound, an input source, and the like, to an image display apparatus, such as a multi-screen television receiver.
FIGS. 37A and 37B illustrate an example of a method of this kind. When the user desires to change an input source of a display screen shown in FIG. 37A, first, he operates a menu key, and calls an operation menu 951 at a first hierarchical level, as shown in FIG. 37B. Here, the user employs an up arrow key and a down arrow key as dedicated keys to select a desired option (SCREEN 3, in this example) and operate a determination key. In response to the operation, an operation menu 952 at a second hierarchical level is displayed, and the user selects an option xe2x80x9cINPUT SOUCExe2x80x9d, for instance. Then, similarly, operation menus 953 and 954 at third and fourth hierarchical levels are displayed sequentially, for instance, and the user selects and determines options xe2x80x9cIS SWITCHED TO INTERNETxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cTO SELECT CANON INCxe2x80x9d, whereby the input source is changed.
At this time, when the user views a television program by using a television receiver, or enjoys a movie or the like reproduced by a video cassette recorder, the user normally views the same at a certain distance from the body of the television receiver. Therefore, generally, large font characters are used to display operation menus so as to allow the user to view and understand details of the menu easily.
Also, conventionally, the operation or function of DTV (Digital Television) equipment is controlled in various ways. For instance, there have been proposed, Method (1) in which similarly to conventional TV devices, as shown in FIG. 38, a remote controller is provided with keypad buttons corresponding to the respective functions of the DTV device, Method (2) in which pointing devices or keypad buttons for moving a cursor are employed, and as shown in FIG. 39, options are sequentially selected from a multistage hierarchical menu for finally selecting a desired final function, Method (3) in which a function is selected by using a plurality of tabs, as shown in FIG. 40, for making various settings of a computer and options shown together with descriptions on respective function-configuration screens under the tabs.
However, the above conventional examples suffer from the following problems:
(1) Recent digitalization of a television receiver has led to an increased number of functions of the receiver, which in turn leads to increased numbers of hierarchies of the menu and menu options. In accordance with such an increase in the number of functions of the television receiver, it is required to display menu options in more detail so as to permit even a beginner to understand the contents of the menu with ease, which results in an increase in the contents and the number of characters of each menu option. Under these circumstances, it is sometimes impossible for the conventional operation menu system to display all the operation menus to be displayed on the screen of a television receiver.
To overcome such problems, it is contemplated that as shown in FIG. 37B, when a menu at a lower level in hierarchy cannot be displayed on the screen, the menu at the lower level is superimposed on a menu at a higher level in hierarchy which is already displayed. In this case, the menu positioned at the higher level in hierarchy is deleted, and it becomes impossible for the user to view all the menus on the screen. This makes it difficult to confirm menu options displayed at the lowest level in hierarchy at the this time. Further, if the user recognizes that a selected menu option is not a desired one, it is difficult to determine to which hierarchical level he should return.
(2) In controlling a DTV device, if Method (1) is employed which provides a remote controller with the FIG. 38 keypad buttons corresponding to the functions of the DTV device, the keypad buttons are increased in number, which tends to bring about erroneous depression of the keypad buttons, and further makes it impossible to perform comfortable operation of the remote controller while viewing the screen of the DTV device, since it is required to watch a remote controller on hand, when a keypad button corresponding to a desired function is looked for.
Further, if Method (2) is employed which causes the user to select a desired function from the multistage menu shown in FIG. 39, as the hierarchy of the menu becomes deeper or increased, the number of menus displayed on the screen becomes extremely larger. At the same time, since menu options as to other functions continue to be displayed in intermediate stages of the selection operation, the menus are displayed in a confusing manner, so that the operator is liable to forget his original intention or object while shifting from one hierarchical menu to another to search for the object. Further, in Method (3) which employs a configuration screen having a plurality of tabs as shown in FIG. 40, there is no menu list provided, and hence it takes time to find the item if it is not clear under which tab is provided a function setting option desired by the user.
It is an object of the invention to provide an image display apparatus and method which are always capable of displaying the whole of menus at a plurality of hierarchical levels and realize a user-friendly interface, a menu display system including at least one menu display apparatus of the above type, and a storage medium storing a program for executing the menu display method.
To attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area, wherein the menu display means displays the menu data such that a plurality of items of the menu data are displayed for at least one hierarchical level, and wherein the menu display means comprises individual display width detection means for detecting a display width of each item of the menu data, total display width detection means for detecting a total display width required for displaying menu data to be displayed in the screen display area, comparison means for comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area, and display control means that, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, detects the total display width of the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data, and if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area, carries out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, and then displays all the resulting menu data in the screen display area.
Preferably, the replacement process is repeatedly carried out at each hierarchical level until the total display width becomes smaller than the area width of the screen display area.
More preferably, the image display apparatus includes storage control means for carrying out, at each of a plurality of hierarchical levels already displayed, a process for storing a value of the total display width and a combination of items of the menu data at the plurality of hierarchical levels already displayed, whenever the total display width has become smaller than the area width of the screen display area through the replacement process, and extraction means for extracting one of stored combinations of the items of the menu data that has the maximum value of the total display width, the display control means displaying the new menu data at the another hierarchical level together with the menu data at respective hierarchical levels in the combination extracted by the extraction means, in the screen display area.
For instance, the menu data comprises image data.
Preferably, the menu data comprises at least one character code, the character code being converted to image data by using menu display font data, the menu display means displaying the image data as a menu.
Preferably, the image display apparatus includes input means capable of controlling the menu display means from outside of the image display apparatus.
More preferably, the image display apparatus has a WWW browser function, and wherein font data of the WWW browser is used as the menu display font data.
To attain the above object, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area, wherein the menu display means comprises starting means for starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement, first display control means for displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level, the first display control means sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level, and issuing means that, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, issues a command and command parameters for executing the command statement.
Preferably, the image display apparatus includes changing means that, when a phrase of a menu option at a subsequent level is temporarily selected, sequentially changes a particle of a phrase of a menu option at a preceding level selected during the menu option-selecting operations, at the subsequent level such that the particle of the phrase of the selected menu option at the preceding level becomes grammatically suitable for the phrase temporarily selected, if it is determined, based on suitable particle information stored in a table in advance, that the particle of the phrase of the selected menu option at the preceding level is not grammatically suitable for the phrase temporarily selected.
Preferably, the image display apparatus includes registration means for registering a plurality of phrases corresponding to a sequence of a plurality of menu options, under a new phrase which represents the plurality of phrases, and the first display control means displays the new phrase, as a part or a whole of the menu option string displayed by the first display control means.
More preferably, the image display apparatus includes second display control means for displaying the new phrase and the plurality of phrases which the new phrase represents, alternately at predetermined time intervals.
To attain the above object, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an image display method for an image display apparatus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area, the image display method comprising the steps of setting a plurality of items of the menu data to at least one hierarchical level, detecting a display width of each item of the menu data, detecting, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, a total display width required for displaying the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data, comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area, carrying out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area, and displaying the menu data in the screen display area.
Preferably, the replacement process includes repeatedly carrying out at each hierarchical level until the total display width becomes smaller than the area width of the screen display area.
More preferably, the image display method further including the steps of carrying out, at each of a plurality of hierarchical levels already displayed, a process for storing a value of the total display width and a combination of items of the menu data at the plurality of hierarchical levels already displayed, whenever the total display width has become smaller than the area width of the screen display area through the replacement process, and extracting one of stored combinations of the items of the menu data that has the maximum value of the total display width, wherein the step of displaying the menu data includes displaying the new menu data at the another hierarchical level together with the menu data at respective hierarchical levels in the combination extracted by the step of extracting the one combination, in the screen display area.
For example, the menu data comprises image data.
Preferably, the menu data comprises at least one character code, and the step of displaying the menu data includes converting the character code to image data by using menu display font data, and displaying the image data as a menu.
Preferably, the image display method includes the step of controlling the displaying of the menus from outside of the image display apparatus.
Preferably, the image display apparatus has a WWW browser function, and wherein font data of the WWW browser is used as the menu display font data.
To attain the above object, according to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an image display method for an image display apparatus having menus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area, the image display method comprising the steps of starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement, displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level, sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level, and issuing, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, a command and command parameters for executing the command statement.
Preferably, the image display method further includes the step of sequentially changing, when a phrase of a menu option at a subsequent level is temporarily selected, a particle of a phrase of a menu option at a preceding level selected during the menu option-selecting operations, at the subsequent level such that the particle of the phrase of the selected menu option at the preceding level becomes grammatically suitable for the phrase temporarily selected, if it is determined, based on suitable particle information stored in a table in advance, that the particle of the phrase of the selected menu option at the preceding level is not grammatically suitable for the phrase temporarily selected.
Preferably, the image display method further includes the step of registering a plurality of phrases corresponding to a sequence of a plurality of menu options, under a new phrase which represents the plurality of phrases, and the step of displaying the menu data includes displaying the new phrase, as a part or a whole of the menu option string.
More preferably, the step of sequentially displaying the menu options selected further includes displaying the new phrase and the plurality of phrases which the new phrase represents, alternately at predetermined time intervals.
To attain the above object, according to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided an image display system including at least one image display apparatus, wherein the image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area, wherein the menu display means displays the menu data such that a plurality of items of the menu data are displayed for at least one hierarchical level, and wherein the menu display means comprises individual display width detection means for detecting a display width of each item of the menu data, total display width detection means for detecting a total display width required for displaying menu data to be displayed in the screen display area, comparison means for comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area, and display control means that, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, detects the total display width of the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data, and if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area, carries out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, and then displays all the resulting menu data in the screen display area.
To attain the above object, according to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided an image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area, wherein the menu display means comprises starting means for starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement, first display control means for displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level, the first display control means sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level, and issuing means that, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, issues a command and command parameters for executing the command statement.
To attain the above object, according to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing an image display for an image display apparatus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area, the program comprising a menu data-setting module for setting a plurality of items of the menu data to at least one hierarchical level, an individual display width-detecting module for detecting a display width of each item of the menu data, a total display width-detecting module for detecting, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, a total display width required for displaying all the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data, a comparison module for comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area, a replacement process module for carrying out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area, and a display module for displaying all the menu data in the screen display area.
Preferably, the replacement process module repeatedly carries out at each hierarchical level until the total display width becomes smaller than the area width of the screen display area.
More preferably, the program further includes a storage module for carrying out, at each of a plurality of hierarchical levels already displayed, a process for storing a value of the total display width and a combination of items of the menu data at the plurality of hierarchical levels already displayed, whenever the total display width has become smaller than the area width of the screen display area through the replacement process, and an extraction module for extracting one of stored combinations of the items of the menu data that has the maximum value of the total display width, the display module displaying the menu data includes displaying the new menu data at the another hierarchical level together with the menu data at respective hierarchical levels in the combination extracted by the step of extracting the one combination, in the screen display area.
For example, the menu data comprises image data.
Preferably, the menu data comprises at least one character code, and the display module converts the character code to image data by using menu display font data, and displays the image data as a menu.
Preferably, the program includes an input-responsive control module for controlling the displaying of the menus in response to an instruction input from outside of the image display apparatus.
More preferably, the image display apparatus has a WWW browser function, and the program uses the font data of the WWW browser as the menu display font data.
To attain the above object, according to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing an image display method for an image display apparatus having menus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area, the program comprising a menu-starting module for starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement, a menu data display module for displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level, a menu option string display module for sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level, and an command issue module for issuing, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, a command and command parameters for executing the command statement.
Preferably, the program further includes a particle change module for sequentially changing, when a phrase of a menu option at a subsequent level is temporarily selected, a particle of a phrase of a menu option at a preceding level selected during the menu option-selecting operations, at the subsequent level such that the particle of the phrase of the selected menu option at the preceding level becomes grammatically suitable for the phrase temporarily selected, if it is determined, based on suitable particle information stored in a table in advance, that the particle of the phrase of the selected menu option at the preceding level is not grammatically suitable for the phrase temporarily selected.
Preferably, the program further includes a registration module for registering a plurality of phrases corresponding to a sequence of a plurality of menu options, under a new phrase which represents the plurality of phrases, and the menu data display module includes a display module for displaying the menu data includes displaying the new phrase, as a part or a whole of the menu option string.
More preferably, the menu option string display module includes an alternately-displaying module for sequentially displaying the menu options selected further includes displaying the new phrase and the plurality of phrases which the new phrase represents, alternately at predetermined time intervals.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.